


Depth of a Soul

by clgfanfic



Category: Riptide (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-01
Updated: 2012-11-01
Packaged: 2017-11-17 12:25:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,226
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/551553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clgfanfic/pseuds/clgfanfic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A modern day fairy tale</p>
            </blockquote>





	Depth of a Soul

**Author's Note:**

> Originally published in the zine Strictly an Indulgence and later in Boss And Bodacious: Special Collection #2 under the pen name Llyr Chaves.

Once upon a time in sunny Southern California, Nick Ryder restlessly paced in the main salon of the _Riptide_ , looking for something, anything to keep him busy.

 _It's getting bad– No, desperate_ , he thought.  _Much longer and the walls will start closing in…_

Five days and already he'd run out of activities to pass the time.  He paused, hands on his hips, peering around the clean room.

 _Jesus, you'd think I could find something to do around here the way Cody's always harping on us to get things fixed up. . . Why I'm bothering, I don't know.  Whatever I do, Cody's gonna find something wrong with it_.

He paused in his quest for a distraction, wondering how Cody and Connecticut were getting along.  Six days earlier his mother had called, interrupting an over-heated argument between the two detectives.  She was in the hospital after a nasty fall that had broke her hip, and, although she'd assured Cody several times that he didn't have to make the long trip, he felt compelled to go back east and spend some time with her.

With no cases pending, the trip would serve as a vacation of sorts for the two detectives, giving them some time alone, or, more accurately, some time away from each other.  With tempers short, both men had said some things they didn't mean – at least Nick hoped they didn't.  The trip would let the air clear between them, and when Cody got home, they both hoped that things would return to their usual amicable footing.

It wouldn't have been so bad, having Cody gone, except Murray was already scheduled to spend two weeks at a conference in Fresno, learning and lecturing about the latest innovations in the video game industry.  And Cody had only left after he made the computer whiz promise that he'd stay with the boat – to protect it from Ryder.

Nick nagged and cajoled the Boz, explaining more times than he could count that he'd be just fine alone on the boat.  Murray wasn't so sure.  The last time Nick and the _Riptide_ had spent time alone, Ryder had nearly destroyed the boat, lied to avoid telling Cody about it, and even sold his Corvette in an effort to get the _Riptide_ fixed on the sly.  And, to top it off, he'd nearly died when he ended up on a bus – thanks to Cody buying the 'Vette and refusing to let Nick drive it – with a madman sporting a grudge against the public transportation system.

It took a lot of work, but Nick had finally convinced Murray to go, herded him onto the Greyhound and watched him head off to Fresno – why the conference planners hadn't picked someplace a little more interesting, like Las Vegas, he couldn't fathom.

Nick returned to the _Riptide_ alone, convinced that two weeks of peace and quiet were just the sort of vacation he needed himself.  It would give him time to think back on his recent arguments with Cody and assess how he really felt.  Maybe he and Cody had just been spending too much time in each other's company.  They both needed their space.  Too much time together living, working, playing, and little things were bound to start grating.

But now, five days into his "vacation," Nick was ready for something, _anything_ to break the monotony.  And there were nine more days to go!

He sighed heavily.  _The Mimi's fixed as far as far as I can go without buying new parts, which I can't afford.  The 'Vette and the Jimmy are in tip-top shape.  The Riptide and the Ebbtide are clean, washed, restocked, and reorganized.  And if Cody doesn't appreciate that I'll pop him right in the nose.  The paperwork's done, the files are back in Boz-order…  Damn._

With a heavy sigh Nick headed for the brass polish and the rags, reduced to buffing the railings in order to keep himself busy.  _If Cody was here he probably gloat.  I hate it when he gloats.  He gets so damned smug… and that stupid little smirk…  He'll probably say I didn't buff it up enough_.

 _I hate polishing!  Probably because Cody's always harping on me to help him do it_.  He shook his head as he reached the storage cabinet.  _Well, at least I can get some sun.  My tan'll be better than his by the time he gets back_.  He grinned.

Nick dug through the various cleaning solutions until he found the brass polish, then trudged back to the salon.  Setting the bottle down, he poured himself a cup of coffee to take along, then paused.  Reaching out, he scooped up the small wooden totem.  When the thing had arrived the label read: _To Scooter and Rick and Jody_.

He snorted.  Murray's sister might be a real looker, but she couldn't remember names worth beans.  Since Melba had addressed the package to all three of them, more or less, Nick opened it, just for the distraction it offered.  Inside, wrapped in a bundle of bubble paper, was a small, wooden totem that looked like a cross between a laughing cat and a seagull.  Melba had picked it up while traveling in Micronesia, and thought it would look good in the _Riptide's_ salon.  He snorted.  It looked weird.

There was a legend attached to it, too.  It was supposed to hold the soul of an ancient warrior's beloved.  She was an artist of some sort, but she sacrificed herself to the Shark God to restore harmony to her husband's people when a rival village headman fell in love with her.  Real ooga-booga stuff, but Murray would get a kick out of it when he got back, Nick knew.

Returning the carving to the table, he hooked his finger through the handle of his coffee cup and headed outside, settling himself on the deck of the _Riptide_ , legs hanging off the side, bare chest soaking the early-morning sun.  After a sip of the almost stale brew he set to work on the last section of brass railing.

After applying the dull pink solution, he waited for it to dry, scanning the quiet Sunday morning crowd at Pier 56.  This was one of his favorite times.  Everything was quiet and calm.  _Almost peaceful_ , he thought, _but still active, like the potential for another fun-filled day at the beach was just bubbling to the surface_.

The gulls called overhead, the water lapped against the boats, and with no traffic noise he could hear the whisper of the waves breaking on the nearby beach.  Even the air was fresh and clean.  It was the kind of morning he and Cody liked best.

 _Damn it, why did the man have to be such a pain in the ass sometimes?_   It wasn't like Nick was a damned high school kid anymore.  He knew when to take things seriously, and when to have fun, but Cody was having more and more trouble with the "fun" part.  He wanted them to be responsible, but what that really meant was dull.

 _Mid-life crisis_ , Ryder decided.  It had reared its ugly head with the Tricor incident, and hadn't really gone away since.

_And it's driving me crazy.  So what if we don't have "careers"?  So what if we aren't married with kids, and a sedan, and a mortgage?  So what if we live on a boat, play volleyball on the beach, and have a good time?  Is there something wrong with having a good time?  No!  Well, not unless it's all you do.  And we do more than that… most of the time._

_Damn, now he's got me doing it!_

A young woman occupying one of the many benches along the pier caught Nick's attention, severing the building anger he felt.  He glanced down, finding the solution dried to a flaky crust and began buffing the bright metal as he watched her hand moving in small graceful strokes across a medium-sized sketch pad balanced in her lap.  Occasionally she glanced around the pier, then returned to her work.

But something about her kept Nick staring.  She wasn't strikingly beautiful, but there was something – _some non-physical quality_ , he decided, that was very appealing.

 _It's her aura_ , he concluded for lack of a better way to explain the obsession to watch her.

She reached around her long black hair, drawing the thick mane over one shoulder, the tips pooling in her lap.  She had bronzed and slightly angular features, and she studied the people walking along the pier and disappearing into the small shops and businesses with a keen interest.

 _She isn't cute either_ , Nick concluded, not like the cheerleaders he and Deke always fell for back in high school.  _Wholesome, yes…  Attractive… definitely.  Exotic…  She's not white, but what?_

_Who is she?_

The annoyed, cackling call of a seagull broke the chain of thoughts and Nick blinked, looking down at the three inch patch of highly polished railing.  He sighed and checked his watch, only then realizing that nearly an hour had passed unnoticed.  When he glanced back again, slightly chagrined, she was gone.

A single white sheet fluttered in the light breeze, held on the bench by a piece of warped driftwood.  Nick left the polish and rags on the deck and headed for the beckoning paper.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

Tossing the driftwood into the trash can next to the bench, and startling a small gray tabby away from her meal of stale French fries, he turned the blank page over and stared into his own image.

A chill pinched his skin into gooseflesh as he examined the drawing.  He was standing at the railing of the _Riptide_ , looking toward a quiet Pier 56.  But it was the eyes of his doppelganger that unsettled the detective the most.  Somehow she'd captured a part of his soul, trapping it on the page.  It was him, really him.

He glanced around, searching for the woman, but she was nowhere in sight.

Carrying the drawing back to the _Riptide_ , he tried to remember if she had glanced in his direction even once while he'd watched her.  He couldn't remember a single time.

 _But I was a little lost in thought there for a while_ , he considered.  _Who is she?_ A wave of warmth prickled the hairs on his arms and legs.

He unrolled the drawing, staring at the image…

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

The wind picked up from a playful breeze at mid-morning, growing into a steady whipping wind, increasing in force.  A small-craft warning echoed through the main salon from the radio, and Nick trotted up from his stateroom, a jacket in hand.  Glancing down, he realized it was Cody's.

 _He'll probably get mad if I use it_ , he thought.  As the first large drops of rain splattered the windows he set his jaw.  _Well, that's just too damn bad_.

Pulling the windbreaker on, Nick headed for the pad where the _Screaming Mimi_ sat.  With luck he'd be able to get the rotors tied down more securely before the worst of the storm hit the coast.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

Yanking the final knot into place, Nick pushed his dark-brown hair out of his eyes and headed back for the Jimmy.  _And I didn't even get your stupid jacket dirty_ , he thought at the absent man.

He stopped mid-stride when he saw her.

Standing on the beach, she faced out to sea, her long, thick hair blowing back from her face like a blue-black veil.  The wind twisted her thin cotton skirt, entwining it between her legs and dancing across her shirt.  She reached up with a hand and pulled a stray strand of hair off her forehead.

Nick hiked the collar of Cody's jacket up and headed for the young woman.  It was getting colder, and what she was wearing wouldn't be much protection, especially when the rains hit.

The sun slipped closer to the horizon and she raised both hands.  _Saluting or greeting_ , he thought as he grew closer.

Nick paused while she slowly dropped her arms like she was lowering the sun gently into the sea.  Three gulls circled silently over ahead, observing the strangely moving ritual.  He approached from the side so he wouldn't startle her.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" she asked as though she had been aware of him watching all along.  "And so wild."

He felt goosebumps rise along his arms, but smiled.  Her voice was rich and captivating.  The accent reminded him of some forgotten late-night movie, but he couldn't place it.

"Yes, yes, it is," he agreed with her.

She looked at the detective and smiled.  "Did you find the sketch I left for you?"

"Yes.  It was…"  He trailed off, feeling the blush that crept across his cheeks.

Her face was heart-shaped, beautiful and exotic.  Large almond-shaped eyes titled slightly up, their ebony depths sparkling.

"It was, uh, very nice.  I–  When…?"

She smiled and looked away.  "I have an eye for faces… and hearts."

Nick nodded his agreement with the faces, and wondered what she meant about hearts.

The wind picked up, the stronger gusts whipping up the sand, and knocking the foam from the tops of the small waves racing up the shore.  He looked back toward the harbor.  "I have to get back to the boat and close her up.  Would you like a ride?" he asked, not noticing any other cars nearby.

She shook her head.  "I'll walk back, but thank you."  She smiled again, jogging off down the beach, her bare feet kicking up sand.

Nick paused, watching until she was out of sight, then turned and walked back to the Jimmy, a strangely unsettling yet pleasant feeling filling him.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

The storm fought its way through the harbor during the night.  Nick lay awake in his bunk, listening.  Usually nasty storms like this one bothered him, but not this time.  He couldn't shake the way the woman's black eyes danced when she smiled, open and unafraid.

He glanced at the empty bunk across the room and sighed.  What would Cody think about her?  He quickly shoved the idea away.  He wasn't ready to deal with that.

When the wind finally died down early the next morning, Nick drifted off to sleep, not waking until the instant yap of the Hoffstedder's poodle prodded him from pleasant dreams.  Rolling over, he swung his legs off the bunk and forced himself to sit up.  After running his hands through his hair a few times, he levered up and headed into the bathroom to shave and shower before he squared off for the final polishing session.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

Three hours later all the brass on the _Riptide_ sparkled in the noonday sun.  _Cody'll love this_ , Nick thought as he stood on the deck and smugly surveyed his efforts. Maybe it would serve as a peace offering.

_The boat's lookin' fine.  Mighty fine, if I do say so himself.  That'll show him.  I'm perfectly capable of taking care of the Riptide.  I got into one little situation and I've never heard the end of it.  He's always bringing up the mistakes I've made.  Do one little thing wrong, and he'll never let you forget it!_

_But now_ , Nick thought, _enough of worrying about Cody and his hang-ups.  It's time for lunch and a beer_.

He vaulted easily over the side, landing with a confident thud on the wooden ramp.  Jogging up to the security fence, he exited and headed for Straightaway's.

Halfway there he sidestepped two boys rocketing by on skateboards and nearly collided with the young woman whose memory had kept him up half the night.

"Ah, excuse me," he stammered out, grinning in embarrassment.

She was dressed in paint-splattered jeans and an equally colorful white blouse.  A purple bandanna kept her long hair out of her face, and a single drop of green paint rested daintily on one teak-colored cheek.

"That's all right, you probably saved me from being run down," she told him.

"What're you doing?"

"Mrs. Harner saw me sketching and asked if I painted.  I told her I did, occasionally, and she asked if I'd work on her sign," she pointed to the large painting on the glass window of the antique shop.  A once-again colorful old Clipper ship fought against high seas and wind, the threatening storm clouds still faded gray outlines.

"That's really good," Nick said, admiration of her talents clear in his voice.

"Well, I wondered how long it would take one of you boys to find this pretty young thing," Mrs. Harner teased playfully as she stepped out of the shop to join them.

Nick grinned and looked away, his cheeks reddening again.

"Well, this is the first.  Nick Ryder, blushing!" the older woman laughed, and the young woman smiled at Nick supportingly.  "Narresa, why don't you take a break for lunch, you've been at this all morning, dear."

"I was just heading over to Straightaway's for a bite myself…  If you'd like some company," Nick told her.

She nodded.  "If you'll give me a minute to clean up."  She left Nick with Mrs. Harner and disappeared inside.

"Smooth, very smooth.  She's a wonderful girl, so you best be a gentleman, Nick Ryder."

Nick grinned.  "Aren't I always?"

She gave him a playful glare and poked his ribs with a curled knuckle.  "I've heard a few conflicting reports from the _Contessa_ crew, bucko."

"Where's she from?" Nick asked.

Mrs. Harner shrugged.  "I don't know."

Narresa came out of the store, hands and face clean.  "I'm afraid I didn't bring a change of clothes with me.  Is this all right?"

"Fine, dear.  Straightaway won't see past that smile of yours anyway," Mrs. Harner told her.

The young woman grinned.  "Thank you, Margaret.  I'll be back in an hour or so and finish this for you."

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

The hour-long lunch drifted into three before Narresa finally made it back to the Clipper ship – ad then only after promising to meet Nick for dinner later that evening.

He spent the rest of the afternoon trying to decide where to take her, finally settling on the Cliff House further up the coast.  The drive would be nice in the 'Vette, the warm summer weather returning after the storm.  The food and atmosphere at the Cliff House were excellent, and the company would be intriguing.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

"So what brought you to King Harbor?"

Narresa wrinkled her brow momentarily and thought.  "I guess you could say I was sent here, but I believe I was drawn to Pier 56 because of the people.  Are you a native, as they say?"

"No, not exactly," he said softly, feeling a sudden chill trundle down his back. "I was born in Chicago, but my mom brought me and my sisters out here when I was pretty young.  I graduated from high school here, then came back after the war, so I guess I'd call it home, now."

They interspersed dinner with conversation and Nick found himself opening up, telling Narresa things about himself he hadn't even shared with Cody and Murray, including his recent troubles with the blond detective.  Narresa listened carefully, asking questions and sympathizing with the strained situation.

The drive back to King Harbor was far too quick for Nick, so he indulged in a couple of detours, showing her places with special significance to him.  There was genuine interest in her eyes as they talked, and real care in the way she treated the pieces of himself that he revealed.

He finally pulled into his regular spot and parked.  They sat for a moment, watching the waves crashing onto the beach before Nick reached out and slipped his arm around her shoulders.  She leaned into him, her head resting on his arm.  Her hair smelled like tropical flowers, and he wondered why he wasn't tempted to try and kiss her.  _It wouldn't be right_ , he knew.  She wasn't a cheap date to hit on.

She looked up at him, her onyx eyes probing.  "Nick, what's bothering you?"

"Me?" he asked, wanting to squirm.  "Uh, nothing."

"I don't believe you," she said, an almost shy smile taking the sting out of the comment.

"It's nothing."

"A nothing that is something."

He chuckled, and hugged her shoulder.  "I was just thinking about Cody."

"He's your best friend, isn't he?"

Nick shifted, drawing Narresa closer.  "Yes," he said sadly.  "But right now all we're doing is getting on each other's nerves."

"That happens when you spend a lot of time together in such close quarters," she said, reaching up to tuck her hair behind her ear.

"I know.  But this last time…  We said some things that I'm not sure we can take back.  I'm not sure I want to."

"What do you want?"

Nick shrugged.  "Cody's the closest friend I've ever had.  We've been there for each other since 'Nam.  Hell, I don't even remember what we've been arguing about now.  I just want things to go back the way they were."

She pulled away and smiled at the detective.  "It will be fine, Nick Ryder.  You are both warriors."

He chuckled.  "I don't think you can call us that.  Not any more…  Maybe a long time ago.  Now we're just private detectives."

"That which binds you together is more powerful than you think."

Nick considered a moment, the reached out and turned on the 'Vette's engine.   "I guess it's time we got back," he said. 

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

"I've been meaning to ask you," Nick said as they walked to where her small boat was berthed.  "Narresa's an unusual name, what is it?"

She smiled.  "It means helpful arbitrator."  She stepped up to him, and before he could react, kissed him on the cheek.  "Thank you for a wonderful time, Nick Ryder.  Would you like to meet me at the donut shop for coffee in the morning?"

"Uh, sure, thanks."

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

The next week passed in a blur, Nick and Narresa spending most of their time together.  Before long Nick's anger with Cody was nothing but a distant memory.

A tour of the harbor in the _Mimi_ ended up in Santa Barbara, where they indulged in a two hour horseback ride, then had dinner and took a walk on the beach.  They became regulars for lunch and dinner all over the pier.  And they even took several local excursions to museums, tourist attractions, and amusement parks, all making the time fly for the detective.

Nick was happy and relaxed, heart full and contented.  But something kept nibbling at the edges of his joy – something that scared him.  It was too good to be true. He lay in one of the deck chairs, sunning himself and trying to sort out his feelings for Narresa.  He was surprised that he wasn't in love with her, or quickly getting there.  Still, their relationship wasn't like the flirtations of his past.  This was completely different.  They were friends, yes.  But not lovers, and he didn't even have the desire to introduce sex into their relationship.

 _Now that's weird_ , he thought.  _She's a mother, big sister, best friend, little sister, confidant and who knows what else all rolled into one, and I love her.  But I'm not in love with her.  And we haven't had sex…  I'm either slipping or getting old_.

Memories of time spent with her haunted him, like the trip out to his and Cody's favorite picnic spot on Shark Island in the _Ebbtide_.  The excursion had taken up the whole day, but he hadn't been aware of the time passing.  It was like she could narrow his focus to just the two of them without even trying, but all they really talked about was he and Cody.

He smiled at the memory.  They were walking back to the boat, a brilliant sunset slipping behind a cloudbank lying along the western horizon.  The effect it created was startling.  A rainbow of light beams ran along the waves like liquid fire, and where the grass and flowers grew down into the soft sand, the sunlight continued across the foliage, a river of light running over the open petals.

They stopped, watching the eerie yet moving scene.  Narresa walked forward into the grass and wildflowers, the sunlight wrapping around her in a red-gold halo.  She sank down onto her knees, cradling the petals in her open hands.  Looking over her shoulder at the detective, he saw the tears running down her cheeks, a contrast to the ecstatic smile on her face.

"Isn't it the most beautiful thing you've seen?" she whispered.

Nick nodded, not trusting himself to speak around the lump in his throat.  He shivered.  _That's the difference_ , he thought.  _She lives fully in every moment_.  That set her apart from most of the majority of people he dealt with.  She really lived.  It was that element that she'd brought back into his life.

Nick blinked the memory away.  Beneath it lay the continuing eerie sensation that something was wrong, something out of place, but nothing came to mind to explain it.  Lost in his thoughts, he didn't hear the taxi arrive, dropping Murray off.

"Hi ya, Nick!" the thin computer expert called as he clamored onboard.

The distracted detective jumped, nearly falling off his deck chair and sending Murray into a spasm of giggling.  Nick scowled half-heartedly at the man, unable to really get upset.  He climbed to his feet and helped carry the suitcases in.  "So, did you have a good time?"

"Oh, it was boss, Nick, really boss," Murray said, maneuvering the Roboz through the salon door and setting him down.  "Everyone was… amazing!  I met some really bodacious programmers.  There's this one guy, Norton Drake, he's good, really good.  And I got a whole box full of new software programs on the way, and there was this new modem that can–"

"Whoa, Murray," Nick interrupted, slapping the thin man on the shoulder.  "It sounds like you had a great time."

The Boz nodded enthusiastically.  "I can't wait to try a couple of the new programs on my equipment.  You won't mind if I do, will you?  I mean, I guess it was sorta quiet without anyone here, but I just want to see if–"

"Uh, yeah, sorta.  But, you go ahead and do what you want, really," Nick told him.  "I'm doing fine."

"Oh, boss, wait until I get this running, it'll be a real big help to us if it does all the programmers say it will.  And I'll be able to get that game finished; that'll be a nice windfall.  Maybe we can get some of that high tech surveillance equipment with the royalties.  Maybe I'll call Norton, too.  He's at the New Pacific Institute, here in Southern California.  He's got some great ideas on how to break into one of the ATT communications satellites and–"

"Go get 'em, tiger," Nick said, smiling and making his escape as Murray disappeared into his room still chattering.  "Oh," he called back.  "Melba sent us something.  It's up in the salon."

Returning to the deck, he checked his watch and wondered how Murray would take to Narresa.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

Murray rubbed his sweaty palms across his shirt, then extended one to Narresa.  She took it with a smile that melted the thin computer whiz. 

"Murray, it's a pleasure to finally meet you.  Nick's told me so much about you and Cody, I feel I already know you."

"Uh, thank you," Murray stammered.  "Thank you."

"I understand you were up at a video game and software convention?"

"Yes.  Yes I was," Murray said, growing more comfortable.  He pushed his glasses up.  "Do you know anything about computers?"

Nick let his eyes drop shut for a moment.  Leave it to Murray to hit her with the computer talk.  Poor Narresa.

"No, not really, but it sounds very interesting."

Nick's eyes opened and his mouth dropped slightly open as Murray began assailing her with the details of his trip in what amounted to a foreign language.  Narresa, however, listened patiently, nodding occasionally and smiling at all the right moments – if Murray's beaming face was any indication.  Several minutes later Murray was completely at ease, offering to show her his machines and teaching her how to use his equipment – an offer he had still to extend to Nick or Cody.

"Thank you," she said.  "I might take you up on that."

"Good, good.  I also create computer and video games, maybe you can try some of those.  Let's see, I have–"

"Uh, Murray, we need to get a move-on or we'll miss our reservation."

"Oh, sorry, Nick," he apologized, then turned to Narresa.  "I get a little carried away when I talk computers."

"That's all right, Murray.  A man needs something to devote his heart to.  Just don't forget your friends as well."

Murray nodded, a serious expression settling on his face.  "Absolutely."

Nick took Narresa's arm and escorted her out of the salon before Murray remembered the new modems he'd been lauding the past two days.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

Throughout dinner Nick could sense Narresa watching him.  _Trying to understand why I'm acting like an ass_ , he guessed.

Sitting on the outdoor deck at Shenanigan's, they ate their dinner while the watching the sunset.  Along the railing gulls glided in and waited for the occasional bite of dinner bread tossed their direction.

"Nick, what's bothering you?"

He looked up through long dark eyelashes and started to deny that there was a problem, but found himself saying, "I didn't know you were interested in computers and all that stuff."

"I'm not," she confessed.  "But I am interested in getting to know Murray, and that is his passion.  Sometimes if you listen to a man talk about what's closest to his heart, you can understand his heart better."

The sentence carried a slight ring of sadness to it, but Nick missed it, lost in his own concerns.  "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Why me?"

"What do you mean?"

Nick cleared his throat, looking into her compassionate onyx eyes and regretted bringing the subject up.  Still, he had to know.  "Me, why me?  I guess I don't understand what I have to–"

"Nick," she said, leaning forward and placing her hands over his.  "It isn't what a person knows or not.  Or what they do for a living, or who their parents are, or if they own a boat, or land, that makes me spend time with them."

"Then what?" he asked, rolling his hands over to hold hers.

"It's their heart, Nick.  Their soul."

Nick looked away, an embarrassed smile on his face.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

 _Two days and Cody'll be back_.  Nick paced in the small room he usually shared with the blond detective and tried to talk himself out of the building anxiety.

_I've got to find a way to let him know that I'm serious about Narresa… at least   I think I am._

The usual steal-her-away competition they engaged in was _not_ an option in this case, and Cody had to understand that.

Nick paused, ashamed of himself.  He was already mad at his partner, and Cody wasn't even there, nor had he even met the young woman.  He took a deep breath.

 _Cody and I need to have a long talk.  About a lot of things_ , he decided, heading up to the deck of the _Riptide_.

A mew from the slip caught his attention and he walked to the side of the boat.  The small gray tabby he'd seen around the Pier recently sat, tail curled daintily around its small silver feet, staring up at him.

"Hi, kitty," he said.

That seemed to satisfy the animal, and she stood and stretched before padding off toward the security fence.  Nick watched it go, then walked over and sank down into the deck seat.  Cody had to understand.  He always had in the past. But if he was still pissed off…

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

"So, when do I get to meet this mystery woman?" Cody asked, trying to hide the smile his partner's nervousness tugged out of him.  It reminded Cody of the time he'd brought his first steady girlfriend home for his parents to meet.  _Only, I didn't have a handsome blond brother for competition!_

At least some of the tension had evaporated between them, and for that he was glad.  He wasn't looking forward to dealing with Nick in one of his moody funks. Whoever she was, she'd been able to keep Nick from brooding, and for that he was grateful.

But whose fault was that? he asked himself, glancing around at the brightly shining rails of the boat.  _I said some really stupid things, but apologizing has never been one of Nick's strong points, either.  He just can't quite bring himself to do it.  He can be so damned stubborn…  Or maybe he has…  I've never seen the Riptide look quite so good._

Cody paused, realizing Nick's discomfort went beyond their traditional rivalry over each other's current love interests, so he backed off.  This must be pretty serious.  A part of him wanted to press the point, make Nick squirm, but he quickly pushed that aside.

Nick checked his watch again and glanced nervously out the window.  "She'll be here.  It's only quarter 'til."

Murray entered from the forward staterooms carrying several books and the wooden totem.  "Nick, this is so boss, do you know what this statue represents?"

"Uh, no," the detective said, peering outside again.

Murray glanced at his own watch.  "Oh, I'm going to be late. . ."  He slid the stack of reference materials onto the table and then placed the carving at the top.  "Sorry, guys, I'll tell you all about it when I get back, but I have to go now.  I'm meeting Norton and a friend of his in ten minutes for the Video Game Writers annual Barbecue, and the opening is always the bossest part.  Harold Puckett and Harrison Blackwood come up with these inventions that–"

"Okay, okay," Nick gave in, preferring to skip the Harold Puckett stories.

"Harrison?  I used to know a guy when I was in college by that name.  We were in the same frat, but different campus.  He was a real practical joker.  Hey, that her?" Cody asked when the squawking of several gulls drew his attention to the window.

"Yes, that's Narresa.  Bye, guys, I'll see you later," Murray said, heading off.

Murray paused to exchange a few words with the woman as they passed, and Cody silently noted the Boz's casual attitude and respected her for the ability to set the man at ease, not an easy feat for Murray.  He studied her intently as she came aboard and joined them out on the deck.

About five-foot-seven, she had an exotic beauty Cody found intriguing and attractive.  It was easy to see why Nick was so possessive.  She walked up and smiled at Nick, an open and caring gesture that caused her whole being to radiate in a way Cody couldn't describe, but he basked in it nonetheless.  She turned the sparkling ebony eyes on Cody and he felt himself relax, the tension in his shoulders falling away.

She stepped up and extended a hand.  "And you must be Cody Allen.  I'm happy to meet you."

"Thank you," he said, taking her hand.  It was warm and the grip firm.  Try as he might, Cody was at a loss to pin down the incredible draw of the women.  It wasn't sexual, not exactly, although Cody couldn't help but wonder how the enigmatic energy that surrounded her would translate in bed.  He briefly recalled the nun who visited his mother in the hospital.  The two women shared a similar aura, but what did that mean?

"Are you joining us for dinner?" she asked.

"Uh, no.  No, thank you," he said, his gaze flickering to Nick.  "I have a few things that I need to get caught up on around here."

"How's your mother?"

"Fine, now," he smiled.  "Thanks for asking.  I think she was ready to get rid of me, actually."  He grinned and blushed, amazed at the way the walls of distance he usually erected around strangers crumbled.  Nick noted it, too, he realized.  "Ah, you two have a good time."

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

"Ah, man, she's gonna get mad, I just know it," Nick moaned as he stood at the top of the pier.

Cody suppressed a smile.  After spending the last two days with Narresa and Nick he doubted there was much of anything that would upset her.  He wasn't quite sure how'd she done it, but she'd managed to mend most of the fences he and Nick had torn between them.  _She has a gift_.

"Well, buddy, I think you're wrong.  I think she'll understand."

"Women never understand this kind of job, Cody.  They hate it when you leave with no explanation and no idea when you're coming back.  This is it.  I know."  He looked down when something brushed against his leg.  The gray tabby entwined itself around his ankle.  He reached down and scooped up the cat.  "Are you following me?"

"The stress is getting to you, buddy," Cody said seriously.

He glanced over at Murray, hoping he might have something to add that would help get Nick moving.  He didn't.  It was Narresa's voice that finally moved the dark-haired detective.

"Are you going to stand there all day, or come get this coffee I poured before it's cold?"

Murray giggled and Cody took the opportunity to place a hand on Nick's back and start him moving toward the boat.

"Uh, hi," Nick said as they boarded the small craft.

"Is there something wrong?" she asked Nick.

His head dropped, the toe of one sneaker-clad foot nudging at an old stain.  "We, uh, we got a case," Nick said, then looked up, launching into an explanation.  "We have to go up the coast, and we don't know when we'll be back, but it's important, and I really can't tell you about it because–"

"Narresa," Cody interrupted.  "It'll probably be a few days."

"Okay," she said, looking slightly confused at Nick's astonishment.

"Okay?  Just okay?" Nick asked.

"This is your job, isn't it?"

"Well, yeah, but I thought…"  He trailed off, embarrassed that Cody and Murray had guessed her reaction better than he had.

"That I would be angry?  Well, I guess if you really wanted me to I could work up to it, but I don't see why I should.  I know what you do for a living, and that it is not a regular job.  You are warriors.  I understand that.  So, go.  Catch the bad men."

Nick leaned forward and kissed her softly on the lips, then blushed at the smiles his partners gave him when he finished.  "I'm sorry I underestimated you."

"I will disappoint you, then, and tell you to be careful."

"Okay."

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

"Narresa!"  Nick leaped over the low railing and boarded the quiet boat.  A quick glance showed that the young woman was not onboard.  Climbing back over the rail, he set off down the pier, asking after her.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

"I don't get it.  Nobody's seen her," Nick said, running a hand nervously through his hair.

"You mean like she just disappeared?" Murray asked.

"No, I mean like they claim they've _never_ seen her."

Cody watched the concern deepen on his partner's face.  "Maybe she's out shopping, or visiting a friend."

"Yeah, I guess so."  Nick rubbed his eyes and then the back of his neck.  "But you know what's really weird?  That painting on Mrs. Harner's shop?"  The other two nodded.  "It looks just like it did before Narresa re-did it."

"But why would Mrs. Harner or Mister Wing or anyone else lie?" Murray asked.

"I don't know," Nick snapped at the smaller man, then apologized.  "I'm sorry, Murray.  I'm just worried about her."

Three days of surveillance and sleeping in the back seat of the Jimmy hadn't left Nick with the best of dispositions.  Add to that getting shot at and nearly getting run off the side of a cliff and he was downright grumpy.  What he needed was a good night's sleep.  He glanced at Cody.  "Thanks again for saving my butt out there."

Allen smiled back.  "Hey, I had to protect the other third of the slip rent, didn't I?"  He slapped Nick's shoulder.  "Come on, let's go check her boat again."

Nick nodded, then added, "The way I was acting not so long ago, I would've figured you'd let it happen just to get a new roomie."

Cody shook his head.  "Naw.  Beside, now that I've got you trained to close the wheelhouse door, it isn't so bad."

Nick grinned and shook his head.  They were finally back to normal.  Now, if they could just find out what happened to Narresa…

"Hello on-board," Cody called as they reached the small sloop.  There was no answer.  "Narresa?"

The small gray tabby walked up to join them, arching against Nick's leg.  He reached down and scooped her up as a middle-aged blond woman walked out on the sloop's deck.

"Huh, excuse me," Murray called to her.  "Is Narresa there?"

"Who?" the woman asked.

"Narresa," Nick said.  "She was living on that boat last week."

The blonde smiled.  "I hope not.  I was away on business.  This is my boat.  No one was here."

"This your cat?" Cody asked.

"Never seen it before," the woman said.  "I'm allergic."

"Sorry to bother you," Nick said, starting back for the security fence.  "I don't get it.  Where could she be?"  Stopping, he set the cat down and watched it bound off.

"I don't know, but we need to get some sleep before we start a full-fledged Narresa-hunt.  We're no good like this," Cody said sympathetically.

"Yeah, yeah, I know, I know," Nick said, following Cody back to the _Riptide_.  "I'll get some sleep and see if I can't regain my charming personality."

"Good idea, buddy," Cody agreed.  "I'm going to fix myself a cup of coffee, then I'll be down."

A grunt was the reply as Nick disappeared down the stairs.  Cody waited until he could hear that the dark-haired detective was in the stateroom before he whispered to Murray.  "I don't know–"

"Cody, there's that cat again," Murray said, pointing to where the tabby walked along the _Riptide_.  "It's cute, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Cody said, standing.  "I'm gonna go to bed."

"Good-night," Murray said and then smiled.  "I'm glad you and Nick are back to normal."

"Me, too.  I hope Narresa gets back soon so I can thank her."

"Yeah," Murray said, still watching the tabby while she sat and cleaned her paws.

"You going to get some sleep?" Cody asked, taking his cup and heading for his bunk.

"In a minute," the computer expert said softly, reaching for the stack of library books resting on one corner of the table.

Cody disappeared below.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

"Guys!  Guys!"

Nick fought his way out of the deep sleep that cradled him in peaceful black velvet.  "Whaa–?"

"Come on, wake up!  I know what happened to Narresa!"

Nick's blue eyes popped open.  "Narresa?"

Murray stumbled forward, an armload of books cascading onto Nick's bunk and bruising his shins.  "Ouch!  Murray, what're you doing?"

"I found it!"

"Found what?" Cody mumbled from his bed.

"Here," Murray said, flipping on an overhead light with an exasperated sigh.  "Look."

Nick shoved himself up in his bunk, and rubbed his sleep-gritty eyes.  "Whatcha got?"

"Does this look familiar?" Murray asked, shoving a thick tome under Ryder's nose.

Nick nearly sneezed as dust danced from the pages when Murray tapped them.  He squinted, then blinked.  "Yeah, that's the same thing Melba sent us."

"Exactly!" Bozinsky said, snatching the book away from Nick and shoving it into Cody's hands.  Then he took a step back, folded his arms smugly over his chest and gloated.

Cody studied the page.  "So, it's the same statue.  So what?"

"So?" Murray asked incredulously.  "So?  Don't you know what that is?"  He stopped.  "Oh, I guess I forgot to tell you after I got back from the picnic."

"Murray, what's going on?" Nick demanded.  "And what has this got to do with Narresa?"

Murray stepped forward and dug through the pile of books on Nick's bunk until he found what he wanted.  "Okay, I was tracking down information on the statue Melba sent, and I found that picture, and a little information about the anthropologist who found it.  So I followed up and checked out his field notes from the library, and–"

"Murray," Cody interrupted.  "Can you just give us the Reader's Digest version?"

Bozinsky plopped down on the foot of Nick's bed, took a deep breath and nodded.  "Okay, Doctor Hoggsbottem, the anthropologist who found the statue, found it on Kapingamarangi–"

"Say that three times fast," Cody interrupted.

Nick grinned.

"If you don't want–"

"No, it's okay, Murray.  Go ahead," Nick said.

Murray scowled at the two detectives.  "In any event, he took it to the headman of the village he was living in and asked him what it was."

"Sensible," Nick said, trying not to look at Cody, knowing he'd be smiling.

"The headman said that it was the totem of a goddess."

"A goddess?" Cody asked.  "Not a very pretty one."

Murray ignored the man.  "She was a daughter of the cat and gull families, and she fell in love with a brave warrior and fisherman in the shark family.  They married and lived happily for a little while, but the warrior's best friend, from the turtle family, also fell in love with her.  At that time, a woman could have more than one husband, and she married the turtle man as well."

"Not a good idea," Nick said under his breath, his gaze flickering to Cody.

The blond shrugged.

"The two men, best friends," Murray emphasized, "both loved her, but they grew more and more antagonistic toward each other until one day they fell upon each other with shell knives and tried to kill one another.  They fell into the surf and would have been killed by a huge shark attracted by the fight and blood if she hadn't seen the danger and ran out, sacrificing herself to the large shark, the shark god, to save them."

"And the two husbands?" Cody asked, leaning forward, caught up in the tale despite himself.

"They were so heartbroken over her death that they swore everlasting friendship and spent the rest of their lives helping others settle their differences in peaceful ways.  They would pray to their wife, and she would mend the hearts of lovers and rebind the bonds of friendship."  Murray sucked in a deep breath and pointed to the picture setting open in Nick's lap.  "Turn the page," he said softly.

Nick reached out, the hairs on his arm standing up as he turned the page.  Cody pushed himself out of his bunk and over to stand next to Nick, both men staring down at the next picture of the totem.

"That's Narresa," Cody breathed softly.

Murray nodded.  "That's what's on the other side of the totem."

"What?" Nick said, looking up.  "No.  I would've seen that."

Murray shrugged.  "We can go look.  But didn't Narresa say her name meant helpful arbitrator?"

Nick nodded, suddenly finding it too stuffy in the small cabin.  He handed the book back to Murray and climbed out of bed, heading up the stairs with Cody on his heels.

Reaching the salon, Nick headed straight for the wooden totem sitting on the table.  He scooped it up and looked down into the same bizarre smiling gull-cat.  Cody reached out, turning it over in his hand.  Narresa's face looked back at them.

A soft thud startled both men and Nick dropped the statue, sending it clattering across the table.  They watched as the small tabby bounded up the stairs and disappeared out the half-open wheelhouse door.

"What's that?" Murray said, reaching the pair and pointing over Nick's shoulder at the large piece of white paper sitting on the table.

Cody started to pick it up.

"No," Nick said softly, stopping Cody in mid-motion.

"Why?" Allen asked.

"This is weird," Nick said.  "Too weird.  I mean, she was real.  A real woman, not some island goddess."

"I don't know," Cody said, resting a hand on his partner's shoulder.  "Maybe she was both?"

Knowing what he would find, Nick reached out and moved the fallen statue, then picked up the paper.  He turned it over, revealing a detailed drawing of the three of them sitting on the _Riptide's_ deck.

Murray and Cody both sucked in sharp breaths. 

"That's–  That's–  That's very good," Murray finally managed.

"Yeah," Cody agreed.

Nick handed the paper to Cody and disappeared for a moment.  When he returned, he unrolled the first drawing.

"That's really you," Cody said softly.  "And this is really us."

Nick nodded, unable to speak.  "I guess we were acting like bigger assholes than I thought," he said.  "It took a ghost to patch things up."

"A goddess…"  Cody laughed nervously.  "Yeah, I guess so."  He looked at Nick.  "Let's not do it again, huh?"

"You got it."

The first red-orange glows of dawn began to glow through the salon windows, and the gulls called their first morning cries.  Nick scooped up the statue, staring at Narresa's likeness.  "Thank you," he whispered, placing the statue above the table where she could watch over her handiwork.

 

The End


End file.
